


House Party

by pheonix85



Series: suitemates verse [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: College, Coming of Age, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, Implied/Referenced Underage Relationship(s), Iron Bros, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark at MIT, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, MIT Era, POV James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Pre-Iron Man 1, Slice of Life, Tony is hanging out with an older girl because he's 17 and in college, but there's nothing explicit going on because mmm no, honestly just like 3k words of them being bros, kind of? IDK, they're becoming better frands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 13:57:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21209687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pheonix85/pseuds/pheonix85
Summary: Tony is a party kid, that's not a surprise to Rhodey---who doesn't like a good time?Rhodey just wants to make sure Tony remembers that's not all he is.





	House Party

**Author's Note:**

> Any representation herein of college organizations is not meant to be representative of their real-life counterparts, I just had a bitchy roommate who was an APHI so that has...jumped out. 
> 
> I have approx 4 other parts of this partially written; 2 (maybe 3) one-shots, then one multi-chaptered fic that is currently 10k words long and has made me cry 3 times (i may start posting it before the other one-shots are done, but the last chapter will wait until the one-shots are done)
> 
> anyway. if anyone has anything, in particular, they're interested in seeing play out, lmk and it may make its way into one of them or become its own story. i love these two sfm.

In their sophomore year, Howard Stark buys Tony a house off-campus and Rhodey and Tony move into it.

There’s some kind of rule that all freshmen need to live on campus but once Tony has actually managed to survive his first year of college, Howard decides his son is too important to share an entire building with other people. At first, it’s only for Tony but the argument that ensues is one for the ages. Tony tells his dad that he’d rather live in a box under a freeway than not live near Rhodey, and it doesn’t take long for Howard to be fine with Rhodey living there, as Tony’s roommate, though Rhodes doesn’t miss the long, sour look cast upon him on the day they’re moving in.

Maria Stark is so much nicer than Howard, though her dedication to playing the good wife means she doesn’t stand up for her son nearly as often as Rhodey thinks Tony deserves. She stays a few days longer while Howard goes to New York for some meetings and cooks them about 3 weeks' worth of frozen casseroles for them to warm up at any time in the first semester.

They fall into an easy routine. They manage to schedule a couple of classes together, which makes it easier when they’re driving onto campus. Food is mostly takeout, once they run out of whatever Maria left for them, and they alternate getting breakfast ready most days---if you can call burnt toast alone breakfast.

The house has 4 rooms and a couple of bathrooms, which means Rhodes parents come up sometime in September and stay for a weekend, and his mother absolutely falls in love with Tony Stark.

“He’s just so different than what I expected,” She says to him in a hushed tone one night. Tony is doing the dishes after they’ve eaten a dinner she cooked and his father is watching the football highlights on the state of the art television in their living room. 

Rhodes rolls his eyes. “Yeah, he’s a pretty decent kid. But don’t tell him that, it’ll go to his head.”

She ignores her son's wishes, and Tony preens when they leave and she pecks him on the cheek. 

“I think they like me.” 

Rhodes snorts. “Don’t worry, I told her that you were in host form this weekend and that your true self will inevitably show itself to her in due time.”

“Aw honey bear,” Tony says with a grin. “You wound me.”

Tony has a lot of different nicknames for different people. He doesn’t really have an explanation for any of them, but Rhodes begins to pick up when they’re being used---he’s mostly Rhodey, but Platypus sneaks back in from time to time, and Rhodey realizes it’s when Tony is teasing him, feeling a little playful; he’s Honeybear when Tony finds him most endearing and he calls Rhodey Sour Patch when he’s in a particularly bad mood. 

Rhodey has, at this point, abandoned all hope of Tony just calling him by his name. 

He’d caught Tony reading a National Geographic once, half slouched on their couch, brow furrowed. When he’d realized Rhodes was standing there he had grinned and cleared his throat, reading from the publication.

"The platypus has been a subject in the Dreamtime stories of indigenous Australians, who believed the animal was a hybrid of a duck and a water rat.” Tony holds up a finger as he continues as if it is the most fascinating information in the world. “According to one story, the major animal groups, the land animals, water animals and birds, all competed for the platypus to join their respective groups, but the platypus ultimately decided to not join any of them, feeling that he did not need to be part of a group to be special."

“Not sure how I should feel about that, considering the nickname.” Rhodes had responded dryly.

Tony, in reply, had simply risen from the couch, tossing the magazine down and headed towards the kitchen, patting Rhodes on the shoulder as he passed. “Means you’re unique. No one like my Rhodey, just how I like it.”

The nicknames are a way Rhodey knows Tony can read him more closely than Rhodes thinks he’s ever had with a friend. Tony senses his moods, gives him space when he needs it but makes sure to be there if he’s pushing himself too hard, always available with a quippy comment or some kind of ridiculous stunt that breaks the tension.

They set up a lab in the basement. There is a particular occasion that Rhodes is pulled from a marathon session with a physics paper by a loud noise. It’s a break he’s sorely needed for hours, but it still grates on him when he sees the haze floating in the doorway. When he walks through it, he sees Tony, black soot marks on his face, waving his hand to dissipate it; behind him, a mark on the wall glows orange. Rhodes, appropriately, freaks out.

“Tony, what the hell, man?!”

Tony holds up a hand. “Let me explain to you something about science,” And behind him, a beaker burst, sending glass everywhere.

Somehow, they end up laughing on the floor, and Rhodey thinks, the paper will get done when it gets done; this kind of thing, he hopes to never forget.

Their dynamic continues to change, grow, mature; not even so much in a traditional sense of having discipline and knowledge and practicality, but rather, in throwing some pretty rad parties.

“What’s it like,” A girl asks him, sitting on his bed after one night. “Being friends with Tony Stark?"

Her name is Amanda. She’s cute, she’s a junior, and Rhodes met her in his calculus class. They’d started off as study mates over his freshman finals and slowly began hanging out more and more, though it’s nothing crazy serious. She’s from Florida and she’ll go back there in a year when she graduates and Rhodes, he’s going wherever the American government tells him to.

So it goes.

“He’s…” Rhodey grabs a shirt hanging over his desk chair and pulls it on. “Different than what you’d expect. He’s a really good guy, actually. More down to earth than you’d think.”

She wrinkles her nose. “I heard he’s a know it all.”

“Well, he’s a genius. He’s the smartest person I’ve ever met.” Rhodes shrugs. “Sometimes he speaks before he thinks about what he’s gonna sound like and comes off kind of like a dick, but he’s getting better about it.”

They make their way downstairs. There's sizzling and popping coming from the kitchen, a waft of something cooking from below. It's not unheard of after one of their ragers, but it still pleasantly surprises Rhodes all the same.

“Hey!” Tony lifts two plates, toast and eggs and bacon on them. “Breakfast for anyone who wants anything.” He grins fiendishly and winks at the girl following Rhodes down the stairs. “Amanda, always a pleasure.”

She blushes and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, but sidles up next to Rhodey on a barstool and accepts a plate with a thank you. Rhodey is glaring at his roommate when a door opens from the hall and a girl walks out, adjusting the strap of her shirt, hair a frazzled mess around a face stained with last night's makeup.

Rhodey stiffens.

Last night was far from the first time Tony had been drunk. Rhodey isn’t crazy about it and he's never the person who gets it for him, but Tony finds a way and Rhodes knows there's little he can do to keep him from partaking. Tony's told him more stories than he cared to hear about his boarding school, so he knows there's been much more inappropriate stuff and worse circumstances.

The girl, Rhodes finds, bothers him more.

He knew she wasn’t a sophomore. He’s seen her around campus, in the quad with different groups or at some of the rallies around the beginning of the year. She’s never seemed that serious about school, always struck him as more of a social climber than someone interested in changing the world, and Rhodey can’t help but be a little worried there may be more ulterior motives here at play. 

Tony excuses himself to go to the bathroom, asking Rhodes if he could take over plating all the food up for their guests. Amanda makes small talk with the girl, who introduces herself as Tiffany and pats at her hair continuously, trying to make it look presentable. 

She seems...bored, by them. Amanda sends him more than one wide-eyed look when she goes off on a tangent about herself or the parties they have at her sorority house. He shrugs and shakes his head, figuring she’ll be gone soon enough. 

“So how do you know Tony?” She asks Rhodey, finally. “How did you end up scoring such a sweet deal?”

The question stops Rhodey mid-turn towards the sink for a moment. He frowns, slipping dirty dishes into soapy water Tony’s already started. He turns around, wiping his hands on a dishcloth and Amanda is very pointedly avoiding his gaze, staring at the plate in front of her as she chews on her food.

“How do you mean?”

Tiffany grins and scoffs. “I mean,” She gestures around. “This is a great house, way better than the dorms. How’d you trip into this?”

There is something so...just presumptuous about it that Rhodes is genuinely shocked into silence for a moment. He crosses his arms over his chest. “Tony’s my friend.” 

Her eyes go wide, and she sits up straight. She begins to pick at her food. “I mean, I didn’t mean---”

“I think I know what you meant,” Rhodes replies flatly. “Tony and I were randomly assigned suitemates last year. He’s my best friend. He invited me to live here. I help pay bills…”

“I didn’t---”

“What’s going on?” Tony is surveying the three of them with a brow raised, and Rhodes isn’t sure he’s heard any of what has been said. He walks over to Tiffany and presses a hand to her lower back, planting a kiss on her cheek and she smiles back at him flirtatiously. 

Amanda is still not looking at Rhodes, chewing like she’s got a secret. 

“Not too much,” Rhodes chimes in. “Just getting to know Tiffany here.” He forces a smile. “Say, Tiff, what sorority did you belong to again?”

She is in mid-bite when he asks and swallows before answering, pressing a hand to her mouth. “Alpha Phi, across campus…”

“Heard you guys had some pretty impressive ragers yourselves, what brings you to this side of the tracks?”

She turns red and Tony levels him with a look. “_Rhodey_.”

Rhodes, in turn, holds his arms up and forces a hard laugh. “Dude, I’m just curious.” He nods at her. “Hey, maybe we could get invited to one of your guys' landmark bashes. Don’t you have a killer Halloween party?”

She nods furiously. “Absolutely, I’m sure everyone would be super stoked to have Tony….” She seems to catch on her words. “You know, and you and...your friend, that would be great. I’ll make sure you get put on the invite list.”

“Spectacular.” He waggles his brows at Amanda, who is by now, trying to stifle a grin. “You want more food, Tiffany? Mandy?”

“No,” Tiffany offers a weak smile, pushing the plate away. “I actually really have to go, we have some Rush stuff I gotta help with.” She looks down at Tony. “Is that okay? I’ll call you later?”

She presses a long kiss to his lips, and Tony closes his eyes. He looks kind of hazy when she breaks it, shooting him one last smile and grabbing for her purse before exiting the house. 

Tony’s quiet while Amanda finishes up and eventually follows in her footsteps. It leaves him and Rhodes alone, and he sets up next to his roommate with a dishtowel, ready to help finish the cleanup.

“Uh, so...what the hell was that?” Tony asks, very forced casually as Rhodes hands him a plate to dry. 

“What was what?”

“Um, the dickish routine you just pulled with Tiffany,” Tony says flatly. “Nice way to roll out the welcome wagon there, buddy.”

“She’s 20, Tones.”

“So, what, you want her for herself?” Tony smirks at him. "What's Amanda gonna say about that?"

“You know Amanda and I aren’t serious…”

“So you want a go round?”

Rhodes wrinkles his nose. “Tony, don’t talk like that, you sound like an asshole.” He may not like the girl, but he’s gonna break _this_ habit real quick. 

Tony waves him off. “It’s nothing serious so what’s the harm? She’s cute, we’re having fun…” He shrugs and Rhodey aches a little for it because...yeah they’re having fun, but telling by the grin on Tony’s face, maybe this isn’t _just_ a little bit of fun and Rhodey just doesn’t have a good feeling about her.

“As long as you’re sure that’s all it is? Nothing. I just don’t want to see you getting taken advantage of. That’s it.”

“I know what I'm getting into.”

“I’m sure you do. I get this isn’t your first time around people like this, you’re much more familiar with this stuff than I am. But remember, people, talk.”

“Story of my life,” Tony says with a grin. “Look, people are _already_ gonna talk, they already have their minds made up about me most of the time, so what does it matter either way---”

“I want you to remember that you’re more than just a dollar sign.” Rhodey interrupts, staring at him intently. “You’re more than just some rich asshole from Malibu, like all the rest of them, _I know you_. And you deserve someone who knows that too.”

Tony’s mouth drops open in the middle of his brief rant. He’s staring at Rhodes in clear surprise, actually speechless, and he lets his head drop to his chest with a sigh. 

“I mean,” He drawls. “It’s harmless, Rhodey. She’s harmless, they all are.” His gaze flickers to the countertop, avoiding his friends' eyes for a moment before he looks back up. “But I'll keep it in mind all the same.”

“It’s all I ask,” Rhodes turns to the refrigerator, grabbing a bottle of water before he turns to go upstairs. “I’m only looking out, dude.”

“I appreciate it,” Tony runs his hands through his hair with a sigh. “I’m gonna...go tinker in the lab. Come down if you want in on anything, yeah? I’m working on this new robot and I want your input on what to name him.”

“Right after I tackle some of this paper."

“Don’t make me blow something up again.”

Rhodes can’t hide his grin, calling back over his shoulder as he climbs the stairs.

“Now where’s the fun in that?”

* * *

October flies by. True to her word, Rhodes and Tony are invited to the annual Halloween bash Tiffany’s sorority puts on and while Rhodes plays nice the whole time, he doesn’t fail to notice how the woman is very obviously making sure everyone sees them together. And to be fair to her, he knows it’s not unusual for young, new love to have an air of possessiveness but there’s something about her that just rubs him the wrong way and he just needs to deal with it.

November begins, the promise of holidays and finals in the distant horizon. The leaves begin to change colors and the air grows colder. Rhodes assumes Tony isn’t looking forward to the break, he rarely does; he’s complained before about having to go home for a few weeks, not having his friend around. 

“I mean, I get why you want to,” Tony laments one night. “Your dad is great. But mine’s just gonna be nitpicking the whole time and Mom is just gonna tell me to ignore it.” He rolls his eyes. “One of these days, I’m just gonna come stay with you.”

“My mom would love that,” Rhodes replies seriously. “She'll feed you constantly every day. Says you’re too skinny.” 

“I’m lanky," Tony pouts. "I’m still growing into everything.” 

They’re walking towards the quad on the day it happens. It’s a week or so before they’re both set to fly home for Thanksgiving, and Rhodes thinks later, he hadn’t even really noticed that Tony’s girlfriend has been weirdly absent the last couple of days.

A convertible drives by, top-down, driven by some handsome frat boy and Tiffany in the passenger seat. Her gaze settles on them for a moment and Tony stares back before she turns away and laughs as something the driver is saying, leaning closer, the two of them forgotten.

Rhodes watches as the car drives away and stops in his tracks, mouth hanging open. Tony, on the other hand, doesn’t look all that surprised and Rhodes realizes there’s something he’s missed.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Tony waves a hand. “She tried to come over the other night and asked to bring some friends and I told her to buzz off. She didn’t like that so…” He shrugs. “You were right about her anyway, I knew that from the start.”

“I’m sorry, Tones.”

“I’m not,” His brows raise and he looks over at Rhodes with a small smile. “It sucks out loud but I don’t know if I’ll ever meet a girl who wants to be around me just because...of _me_.”

“I don’t think that’s true.”

“At least, not without you around.” Now he grins at his friend. “Everyone always tells me what I want to hear. They always have,” Tony says with a shrug. “But not you. You tell me what I need to hear. Even if I don’t want to listen.”

Rhodey stays quiet, but he stuffs his hand in his pockets. 

“You’re just different. And I’ve…” Tony looks down at the sidewalk, kicking a sweetgum ball as they walk. “I really appreciate it, man.”

“Yeah, well,” Rhodey grins, enjoying the warm sensation in his chest. “Someone’s gotta keep your dumbass in line.” He bumps his shoulder in Tony’s who laughs and stumbles. 

“You and me buddy, against the world.” Tony’s looking up at him, a little uncertain, needing reassurance and Rhodes is more than okay to give it. 

“That’s right, kid.” He loops an arm around Tony’s shoulder with a laugh, pulling him close. “You and me.”

**Author's Note:**

> i have a [tumblr](https://cattlaydee.tumblr.com), please feel free to come say hi and talk about these boys cause i'd love ideas and/or feedback. this is ridiculously saccharine and kind of after school special and that is 100% intentional. 
> 
> next up: set a couple years after this, Tony visits Rhodey on an ROTC thing he has to do at Edwards AFB over a summer in California. A familiar face makes an appearance :)


End file.
